How We Live Now with Katherine May

Exploring Hilary Mantel's memoir with Jillian Hess


Listen Later

What’s to be done with the lost, the dead, but write them into being?’


So writes Hilary Mantel in her extraordinary memoir, Giving Up the Ghost. First published in 2003, it offers a snapshot of the great writer before the Wolf Hall era: a literary, if not commercial, success, and a fragile soul with a dark, scuttling imagination. 


Katherine was joined by Jillian Hess of the brilliant Noted Substack to explore this wonderful book. They discussed the way that Mantel captures her childhood and family, her relationship to her body and the endometriosis that assailed it, the way she talks about writing, and - of course, given that it’s Halloween week - those ambiguous ghosts.


Katherine's book, Enchantment, is available now: US/CAN and UK


Links from the episode:


  • Jillian's Substack, Noted
  • Hilary Mantel’s book, Giving Up The Ghost


  • Join Katherine's Substack for a free reading guide, video recordings and transcripts
  • Find show notes and transcripts for every episode by visiting Katherine's website.
  • Follow Katherine on Instagram



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

How We Live Now with Katherine MayBy Katherine May

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

138 ratings


More shows like How We Live Now with Katherine May

View all
On Being with Krista Tippett by On Being Studios

On Being with Krista Tippett

10,375 Listeners

Tara Brach by Tara Brach

Tara Brach

10,398 Listeners

Sounds True: Insights at the Edge by Tami Simon

Sounds True: Insights at the Edge

1,835 Listeners

Good Life Project by Jonathan Fields / Acast

Good Life Project

3,285 Listeners

Tricycle Talks by Tricycle: The Buddhist Review

Tricycle Talks

349 Listeners

Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg by Be Here Now Network

Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg

692 Listeners

For The Wild by For The Wild

For The Wild

1,146 Listeners

10% Happier with Dan Harris by 10% Happier

10% Happier with Dan Harris

12,530 Listeners

Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson by Rick Hanson, Ph.D., Forrest Hanson

Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson

2,419 Listeners

Living Myth by Michael Meade

Living Myth

940 Listeners

Poetry Unbound by On Being Studios

Poetry Unbound

3,497 Listeners

Bewildered by Martha Beck and Rowan Mangan

Bewildered

1,227 Listeners

The Shift with Sam Baker by sam baker

The Shift with Sam Baker

83 Listeners

As the Season Turns by Ffern

As the Season Turns

204 Listeners

Pulling The Thread with Elise Loehnen by Elise Loehnen

Pulling The Thread with Elise Loehnen

963 Listeners